JAGUAR Special Operations To Build F-TYPE Project 7

UPDATE1

JAGUAR Special Operations Will Build 250 Project 7 F-TYPE Speedsters

What a thrilling announcement!

Jaguar Special Operations has revealed that it is hard at work finalizing a production version of the Project 7 F-TYPE — and will produce 250 of them for sale around the world.

This includes the US — or North America at least — but will have some revisions to the design to meet cabrio safety rules. This might mean a taller windshield, but the final US design remains secret.

Performance figures are out of the bag though: 575-horsepower and a 60-mph sprint of just 3.8 seconds!

Below are 46 new photos, the official announcement from Jaguar, and the previous article here comparing the P7 with the D-Type.

Here is Ian Callum announcing the project at Goodwood, where he does not look like an old fuddy-duddy at all.

I do not even know why you would say that!?

JAGUAR TO BUILD F-TYPE PROJECT 7: THE FASTEST AND MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION JAGUAR

IN BRIEF

• Jaguar confirms it will build F-TYPE Project 7

• F-TYPE Project 7 will debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed – in the 60^th anniversary year of the Jaguar D-type racer that inspired its design

• F-TYPE Project 7 will be the most performance-focused derivative of the acclaimed F-TYPE range and will be Jaguar’s fastest and most powerful production model to date

• Jaguar will produce the F-TYPE Project 7 in an exclusive run of up to 250 units, hand-built by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations team

• A fully road-legal two-seater roadster, the new car stays true to the design ethos of the Project 7 concept unveiled in 2013 – which paid homage to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans wins – including the distinctive D-type-inspired fairing

• With 575PS and 680Nm from its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine,

• F-TYPE Project 7 will reach 60mph in 3.8-sec (0-100 km/h in 3.9-sec)

• Bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a unique suspension tune mean

• F-TYPE Project 7 delivers a truly focused driving experience

• CCM brakes, Torque Vectoring by Braking and race-inspired seats are all standard features

• F-TYPE Project 7 features a stowable roof and 196-litre luggage space

• First customer deliveries will begin from mid-2015

 

“Special Operations exists to develop a suite of products and services that enable our most discerning and enthusiastic customers to indulge their passion for our cars. F-TYPE Project 7 is a perfect example of one such product. It’s the most powerful production Jaguar ever built, and pays homage to Jaguar’s seven outright Le Mans victories with distinctive design cues inspired by the Jaguar D-type which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.”

John Edwards, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations

SUMMARY

(Whitley, Coventry – 25 June 2014). F-TYPE Project 7, the latest model in Jaguar’s acclaimed F-TYPE sports car range, is set to make its debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed on 26 June.

F-TYPE Project 7 is the first Jaguar performance vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations team, and will be produced in an exclusive, limited-edition run of up to 250 units. Its distinctive roadster body, introduced in concept form last summer, pays tribute to one of the most famous and iconic racing Jaguars: the three-time Le Mans winning D-type, which in 2014 is celebrating its 60^th anniversary year. F-TYPE Project 7’s name pays homage to Jaguar’s seven outright Le Mans wins.

The 2014 Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 is not only the most focused derivative of the award-winning F-TYPE range, but is also the fastest and most powerful production Jaguar ever built.

F-TYPE Project 7’s power comes from Jaguar’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, now in 575PS/680Nm form, enabling the all-aluminium-bodied car – which weighs 1585kg – to achieveacceleration from 0-60mph in 3.8-seconds (0-100km/h in 3.9-seconds) and an electronically-limited top speed of 186mph (300km/h). F-TYPE Project 7 is fully road-legal, with a removable roof and 196-litre stowage space.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through Jaguar’s eight-speed Quickshift transmission and second generation Electronic Active Differential (EAD). Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, available as an option on the F-TYPE R Coupé, are fitted as standard on F-TYPE Project 7, offering powerful, consistent, fade-free braking. Another standard feature is Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB) which, working in conjunction with the EAD, enables extremely precise handling. Bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a unique suspension set-up enable F-TYPE Project 7 to deliver a truly engaging driving experience.

While F-TYPE Project 7 features performance-focused engineering by Special Vehicle Operations – the engineering and vehicle division of Special Operations – its design has been kept true to the head-turning lines of the original Project 7 concept, which was unveiled last summer.

Key design elements include the D-type-inspired fairing behind the driver’s head, shorter windshield, new front bumper, and downforce-increasing aerodynamic modifications – including a carbon-fibre front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser and adjustable rear spoiler. However, the single-seater concept has been transformed into a two-seater, with rollover hoops for both driver and passenger now integrated into the design.

2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE PROJECT 7: IN DETAIL

Engineering

The 2014 Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 is a product of pure passion, and the pinnacle of Jaguar’s performance sports car range. The most focused derivative of the highly acclaimed F-TYPE range, it is the fastest and most powerful production Jaguar ever made.

The Special Vehicle Operations-engineered F-TYPE Project 7 is powered by Jaguar’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, as seen in the F-TYPE R Coupé, but in an even further enhanced form: it produces 575PS (an increase of 25PS over the F-TYPE R Coupé) and 680Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheels through Jaguar’s eight-speed Quickshift transmission and second-generation Electronic Active Differential. Special Vehicle Operations engineers have developed a bespoke transmission calibration for the F-TYPE Project 7, with revised shift points and characteristics.

This enables the lightweight, all-aluminium bodied roadster – which, at 1585kg, weighs 80kg less than the F-TYPE V8 S Convertible – to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds), with an electronically-limited top speed of 186mph. The increased performance, combined with the handling and aerodynamic enhancements, make F-TYPE Project 7 the new benchmark in high-performance Jaguars.

F-TYPE Project 7 features a switchable Active Sports Exhaust system with quad, matt-black ceramic coated, outboard-mounted tailpipes. The system uses electronically-controlled bypass valves in the rear section of the exhaust which are mapped to open according to a range of parameters, effectively altering the exhaust gas routing into a free-flowing straight-through arrangement to both reduce back pressure and enhance sound quality.

F-TYPE Project 7 rides on 20-inch Storm alloy wheels in gloss black, which customers can opt to have fitted with high-performance Continental ForceContact tyres. Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes – with 398mm front and 380mm rear discs allied to six- and four-piston monobloc calipers respectively – are fitted as standard.

Made from a matrix of carbon-fibre and ceramic, which is extremely hard and highly resistant to wear, the CCM system offers consistent performance and excellent fade resistance even during sustained extreme driving conditions. Jaguar’s CCM brakes feature a pre-fill system function that applies a low brake pressure to all four calipers when the throttle is released – and before the brake pedal is pressed again – to ensure consistent brake pedal feel.

F-TYPE Project 7 benefits from bespoke, Special Vehicle Operations-engineered front suspension knuckles which give increased negative camber, revised top mounts and new front/rear anti-roll bars. The front and rear spring and damper units are height adjustable, and both spring rates and damper internals have been tailored specifically to F-TYPE Project 7.

Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics system actively controls vertical body movement, roll and pitch rates by continuously monitoring driver inputs and the attitude of the car on the road, adjusting damper rates accordingly up to 500 times a second to optimise stability. The Adaptive Dynamics controlling software has been precisely re-calibrated to suit F-TYPE Project 7, the Dynamic Stability Control system also having a unique state of tune.

Engaging Dynamic Mode delivers enhanced body control through firmer damping rates, increased steering weighting, faster gear changes and sharper throttle response. Dynamic Mode is configurable as standard via the central 8-inch touchscreen, allowing the driver to select and save settings according to their preference.

Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB), which intelligently and rapidly applies precise amounts of braking force to individual wheels to accurately sharpen the car’s line through a corner, is standard. TVbB works in conjunction with the Electronic Active Differential (which can go from open to full locking torque in 200 milliseconds) and the car’s Dynamic Stability Control system to optimise traction, cornering ability and, most importantly, to maximise steering feel and agility.

“Above all – F-TYPE Project 7 is fast… It uses all the key technologies we’ve proven on F-TYPE R Coupe to deliver absolute immediacy of response to all driver inputs, yet its focused nature has given us the opportunity to go further still. The result is a driving experience that’s pure and involving in every sense.”

Mike Cross, Chief Engineer – Vehicle Integrity, Jaguar

Design

The Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 retains the distinctive, minimalist design of the original 2013 concept. That design study was penned as a spare-time experiment that blended Jaguar’s rich racing heritage with its then-new, groundbreaking sports car line, the F-TYPE. Under Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum, the sketch – of a single-seater sports car with a swooping profile, muscular stance and cut-down windscreen – went from paper to digital model to the Goodwood hillclimb in the space of just a few months, and has now become a production car.

“F-TYPE Project 7 is the perfect example of how, as a design team, we can move quickly with our engineering colleagues to go from concept vehicle to production reality – we’ve pushed the boundaries of what’s possible without losing any purity of form.

“Modern, purposeful and with a stance that screams intent, F-TYPE Project 7 is the perfect contemporary embodiment of the D-type that inspired it.”

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar

F-TYPE Project 7’s key ‘heartlines’ remain those of the World Car Design Award-winning F-TYPE sports car. They effortlessly blend with the D-type-inspired rear fairing section that incorporates a rollover hoop and swoops rearwards and down from behind the driver’s head. Being a two-seater, F-TYPE Project 7 features a second rollover hoop, behind the passenger seat.

Extensive aerodynamic modifications on F-TYPE Project 7 include a front splitter with a lower section made of moulded plastic and an upper section in carbon-fibre. Side skirts, rear diffuser and an adjustable rear spoiler are all made of carbon-fibre. These components together mean the F-TYPE Project 7 generates 177% more downforce than F-TYPE Convertible at its top speed of 186mph.

The rear deck, bonnet vents, side vent louvres and mirror caps are also all made of carbon-fibre. The windscreen length is reduced by 114mm, reducing overall height by 30.5mm, with new side windows to match the profile. A Bimini roof has been specially designed for F-TYPE Project 7. It clips on to the convertible header rail, and can be conveniently folded and, when not in use, stowed in the boot area – which offers 196-litres of load space.

The driver and passenger of F-TYPE Project 7 sit in lightweight race-inspired bucket seats, which are finished in a quilted racing-style diamond pattern. Four-point racing harnesses are available as an accessory. The interior features carbon-fibre veneer inserts on the console, an Alcantara steering wheel (with leather option), machined aluminium gearshift paddles and bespoke treadplates with the Project 7 logo.

Enhancing its unique appeal, the 2014 F-TYPE Project 7 will be hand-built to exacting standards by Special Operations, and offered in an exclusive, limited-edition production run of up to 250 units globally. Each car will sport a specially numbered plaque, located between the two seats, signed by Ian Callum.

F-TYPE Project 7, whose name acknowledges Jaguar’s seven historic Le Mans race wins, will be offered in five metallic colours: Ultra Blue, Italian Racing Red, British Racing Green (all with white decal options), Ultimate Black and a new colour, Glacier White (both with grey decal options).

2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE PROJECT 7: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION*

*All figures are manufacturer’s estimates and subject to final confirmation ahead of production

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
Engine capacity (cc)	5000
Cylinders	8
Valves per cylinder	4
Compression ratio	9.5:1
Bore/stroke (mm)	92.5/93.0
Bore/stroke (inches)	3.64/3.66
Transmission	8-speed ‘Quickshift’ ZF 8HP70
PERFORMANCE
0-60mph (sec)	3.8
0-100km/h (sec)	3.9
Top speed (mph)	186, electronically limited
Top speed (km/h)	300, electronically limited
Power (PS@rpm)	575@6500
Power (kW@rpm)	423@6500
Torque (lb ft@rpm)	502@2500-5500
Torque (Nm@rpm)	680@2500-5500
Wheels	20-inch ‘Storm’ alloy, in gloss black
Tyres – size	255/30/20 (front) 295/30/20 (rear)
Tyres – make Standard: Optional:	Pirelli P Zero Continental ForceContact
DIMENSIONS
Length (mm)	4519
Length (in)	178
Width excl (mm)	1923
Width excl (in)	75.7
Height (mm, without roof)	1277
Height (in, without roof)	50.3
Wheelbase (mm)	2622
Wheelbase (in)	103.2
Fuel tank capacity (litres)	72
Fuel tank capacity (gallons)	15.8
Weight (kg)	1585
Weight (lbs)	3495

 

 

Editors’ notes

• Jaguar Land Rover’s newly created Special Operations team will focus on delivering halo vehicles, bespoke commissions, heritage products and branded goods

• F-TYPE Project 7 is the first Jaguar halo product from Special Operations and will be built at its new state-of-the-art Technical Centre in the West Midlands

• Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations has the responsibility within Special Operations to create a range of high performance production models for both Jaguar and Land Rover, vehicle personalisation products and low volume, high value Limited Edition models for both brands

• F-TYPE Project 7 will be available in EU markets, as well as South Africa, Australia, MENA, Russia, Brazil, Asia Pacific regions and North America – pricing available from markets

• F-TYPE Project 7 specification, both exterior and interior, will differ for North America – details will be released in late summer 2014

• F-TYPE Project 7 customer deliveries will begin from mid-2015

• The Jaguar F-TYPE Convertible was launched in 2012, and the F-TYPE Coupé in 2013. The current F-TYPE range consists of: F-TYPE Convertible, F-TYPE S Convertible, F-TYPE V8 S Convertible, F-TYPE Coupé, F-TYPE S Coupé and F-TYPE R Coupé.

• The Jaguar D-type racing car was launched in 1954

• Jaguar has won the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour race a total of seven times, a record for a British manufacturer: in 1951, 1953 (both with the C-type), 1955, 1956, 1957 (all D-type), 1988 (XJR-9) and 1990 (XJR-12)

Previous article…

It is not often that a one-off concept so directly references one specific car in the back catalog. Often, a hugely successful historical model like the 1955 D-TYPE Jaguar is recalled most fondly long after the fact. Its achievements on the racetrack making it even more beautiful, and even more of an iconic time capsule than a single design or even a single piece of art. It becomes a living, breathing part of that company’s heritage.

Jaguar is never more eager to turn back to the 1950s and 1960s, which is odd in many ways. You just want to shake them by the shoulders sometimes — and tell them to stop navel-gazing and start pushing things forward.

But in some other cases, the look back in time can inform modern decisions in a delightful way. Such is the 2013 Project 7 concept speedster, a piece of rolling beauty more delicious than rich English chocolates — and twice as filling.

A nice look back at the RM Auctions Paris 2014 Jaguar D-TYPE, and then the 2013 P7 concept.

 

RM Auctions 2014 Paris D-TYPE JAGUAR – Photos c/o RM Auctions

2013 JAGUAR Project 7 Concept